Ah, the Blackrock Foundry! A true titan of a raid from the Warlords of Draenor expansion, filled with epic boss battles and some truly stunning transmog gear. If you're looking to delve into the heart of the Iron Horde's industrial might from the bustling streets of Stormwind, you're in for a bit of a journey. But fear not, adventurer! This comprehensive guide will get you there step-by-step.
The Grand Expedition to the Foundry: A Step-by-Step Guide for Alliance
Ready to smash some Iron Horde? Let's get started!
Step 1: Preparing for Your Draenor Adventure
First things first, before we even leave Stormwind, let's make sure you're properly equipped for your trip to Draenor.
- Do you have the Warlords of Draenor expansion unlocked? This is crucial! Blackrock Foundry is a Warlords of Draenor raid, so you need access to that content. Most active players will have this by default with current expansions, but if you're returning after a very long break, ensure your account has it.
- Are you high enough level? While Blackrock Foundry was designed for level 100 characters back in its prime, it's easily soloable by any character level 60 and above now. If you're max level, you'll likely one-shot most bosses!
- Clear your bags! You'll be picking up some sweet transmog and potentially a mount if you're lucky. Make sure you have space.
- Repair your gear! While unlikely to break if you're high level, it's good practice. There are no repair vendors directly at the raid entrance.
Alright, with that out of the way, let's hit the road!
Step 2: Portaling to Draenor: Your Gateway to Gorgrond
Getting to Draenor is the most important first leg of your journey. There are a few ways for Alliance to do this from Stormwind.
Sub-heading 2.1: The Easiest Way - The Ashran Portal in Stormwind Mage Tower
This is by far the simplest and most direct route for most players.
- Locate the Stormwind Mage Tower: This iconic tower is situated in the Mage Quarter of Stormwind City. You can't miss it – it's quite tall and usually has glowing arcane runes around it.
- Enter the Portal Room: Inside the Mage Tower, you'll find a room filled with various portals to different zones and expansions.
- Find the Ashran Portal: Look for the portal that specifically takes you to Ashran. Ashran is the main hub zone for your faction in Draenor. For Alliance, this will be Stormshield. Click on this portal.
Voila! You'll be whisked away to Stormshield in Ashran.
Sub-heading 2.2: The "Old School" Way - Through the Dark Portal (If you haven't done the WoD intro)
If you're on a brand new character who hasn't done the Warlords of Draenor introductory questline, the Ashran portal might not be active for you immediately. In this case, you'll need to go through the original Dark Portal method:
- Travel to the Blasted Lands: From Stormwind, you can take a portal to the Blasted Lands (often found in the same Mage Tower portal room).
- Find the Bronze Dragonflight NPC: In the northern part of the Blasted Lands, near the Dark Portal, there's a Bronze Dragonflight NPC (typically Zidormi). Speak to her and choose the option to revert the zone to its Warlords of Draenor phase. This is crucial, as the regular Blasted Lands portal leads to Outland.
- Enter the Dark Portal (WoD Version): Once the zone is phased correctly, approach the gigantic, ominous Dark Portal. Walk through it! This will trigger the Warlords of Draenor introductory questline, which eventually leads you to your Garrison in Shadowmoon Valley. You'll need to follow this short questline until you establish your Garrison, and then you'll be able to fly freely in Draenor (assuming you have Draenor Pathfinder, which we'll discuss later).
Sub-heading 2.3: The "Secret" Way - Timeless Isle to Gorgrond (A Niche Option)
This method is less common but can be a fun alternative if you know about it:
- Portal to Timeless Isle: Take the portal to the Timeless Isle, found in the Mage Tower in Stormwind.
- Swim to the Southeast: Once on the Timeless Isle, head to the southeastern corner. You're looking for an underwater cave near some frogs and a pirate ship.
- Find the Campfire: Dive into the water and locate an underwater cave. Inside, you'll find a campfire with chairs.
- Sit and Click: Sit on one of the chairs and then click the campfire. This will teleport you directly to a specific island in Gorgrond! From there, you'll need to fly or mount run to the raid.
Step 3: Navigating Draenor to Gorgrond
Once you're in Draenor, your next objective is to reach the zone of Gorgrond.
Sub-heading 3.1: From Ashran (Stormshield)
If you used the Ashran portal (the recommended method):
- Mount Up! If you have flying in Draenor (requires the Draenor Pathfinder achievement), this will be a quick flight. If not, get ready for a scenic ground mount journey.
- Head North-East: From Stormshield, Gorgrond is located to your north-east. Follow the main road or simply fly directly. The zones in Draenor flow logically, so you'll pass through areas like Nagrand and Talador before reaching Gorgrond.
Sub-heading 3.2: From Your Garrison (Shadowmoon Valley)
If you arrived via the Dark Portal and went through the Garrison intro:
- Use Your Garrison Hearthstone: You should have received a Garrison Hearthstone during the introductory questline. This hearthstone teleports you directly to your Garrison in Shadowmoon Valley.
- Fly or Ride to Gorgrond: From Shadowmoon Valley, Gorgrond is to your north. Again, if you have Draenor flying, it's a quick trip. Otherwise, prepare for a longer ground mount journey.
Step 4: Locating the Blackrock Foundry Entrance in Gorgrond
You're in Gorgrond! Now for the final approach to the Foundry itself.
- Head to Northern Gorgrond: Blackrock Foundry is situated in the northern part of Gorgrond.
- Target Coordinates (Approximately): The entrance to Blackrock Foundry is located around 51.4, 28.7 on your map. It's a massive industrial gate built into the mountains, overlooking an area called "The Pit." You'll see huge iron structures and molten rivers.
- Look for the Meeting Stone: Like most raids and dungeons, there will be a Meeting Stone right outside the entrance, usually around 51.7, 29.0.
Congratulations! You've made it to the Blackrock Foundry! Now, go forth and conquer the Iron Horde's war machine!
Blackrock Foundry FAQs
Here are 10 common questions about getting to and running Blackrock Foundry, with quick answers:
How to get to Draenor quickly from Stormwind?
- Use the Ashran (Stormshield) portal in the Stormwind Mage Tower.
How to skip the Draenor intro questline if I'm a new character?
- While there's no official skip at the very beginning, if you go through the Dark Portal in the Blasted Lands (WoD version) and drop the quest before speaking to Khadgar, you can often run directly to your garrison area and pick up the main garrison quest directly, skipping the initial Tanaan Jungle part.
How to get Draenor flying?
- You need to complete the Draenor Pathfinder achievement, which involves exploring all zones, collecting 100 treasures, completing various questlines, and reaching Revered with three Draenor factions.
How to get a Garrison Hearthstone if I lost it?
- If your Garrison Hearthstone isn't in your toy box, bags, or bank, travel to your Garrison in Draenor and speak to Provisioner Rashma (Horde) or Deedree (Alliance) to get a new one.
How to know if I'm high enough level to solo Blackrock Foundry?
- Any character level 60 or higher should be able to solo Blackrock Foundry on Normal/Heroic. For Mythic, level 70 is highly recommended for an easy time.
How to find the specific entrance once I'm in Gorgrond?
- Look for a huge industrial gate built into the northern mountains of Gorgrond, around coordinates 51.4, 28.7. It's a very distinctive landmark.
How to find a repair vendor near Blackrock Foundry?
- There isn't a direct repair vendor at the raid entrance. It's recommended to repair before you go, or use a Jeeves/Reins of the Traveler's Tundra Mammoth type mount if you have one.
How to change raid difficulty for Blackrock Foundry?
- Right-click your character portrait, go to "Raid Difficulty," and select your desired difficulty (Normal, Heroic, Mythic). Raid Finder difficulty can only be accessed via the Raid Finder queue system when it was current content.
How to reset Blackrock Foundry if I want to run it again for loot/transmog?
- Once you've cleared the raid, exit the instance. Right-click your character portrait, go to "Reset All Instances." This will reset the bosses and trash for a new run.
How to get the Ironhoof Destroyer mount from Blackrock Foundry?
- The Ironhoof Destroyer mount has a small chance to drop from the final boss, Blackhand, on Mythic difficulty only. Good luck with your farming!